Alternative Fuel Fact Sheet

Biodiesel Fuel

·       Can be pure (B100) or is often blended with petroleum based diesel.  B20 is a 20% blend of biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.

·       Is produced from vegetable oils (rapeseed, soybean) or animal fats reacted with alcohol to form fatty acid methyl esters.

·       Appears to be compatible with standard nitriles using standard laboratory material tests, such as room temperature immersions tests, but has a hidden danger in the field.

·       B100 permeates quickly through standard grade nitrile polymers.  The permeated fuel will attack the reinforcement layers and cover stocks which often have limited resistance to B100.

 ·       For continuous exposure all grades, Gates recommends Stallion, 

    Renegade, and Longhorn AF.  Service life could shorten with splashes of

    biodiesel on the cover.

·       For transfer or intermittent exposure to all grades biodiesel, Gates recommends Longhorn, Steer, Maverick, Brahma and Sea Horse if the hose is allowed to dry out between uses.

·       High temperature (under hood 257°F) applications accelerate the decomposition process.  Gates does not recommend using nitrile for biodiesel fuel lines above 125°F. Use 4219BG Barricade Green Shield tested to B100 up to 212°F and fuel Injection hose 4219D (FKM) tested to B100 up to 275°F.

·       B20 and below up to 125°F are compatible with 4219G and RLA. Marine Fuel Lines C5M and 4219M is recommended for B100 up to 125°F.

Ultra–Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel

·       Legislation requires a reduction of harmful emissions (less than 15ppm).

·       Sulfur is the lubricant in diesel fuel, lowering the sulfur content may drop the fuel lubricity. To achieve the new sulfur requirements, diesel manufacturers include a biodiesel (B2) additive to keep the fuel flowing smoothly and to prevent engine damage.

·       Longhorn, Longhorn AF, Steer, Maverick, Brahma, Sea Horse, and RLA are acceptable for normal transfer applications.

·       C5M, 4219D, 4219BG, 4219M and 4219G are acceptable for fuel lines.

E85 Fuels

·       85% Ethanol with 15% gasoline is not an aggressive fuel with respect to rubber compounds.

·       Any grade of nitrile rubber designed to handle refined gasoline will work with E85.

·       Longhorn, Longhorn AF, Steer, Maverick, Brahma, Sea Horse and RLA are acceptable for normal transfer applications.

·       C5M, 4219BG, 4219M and 4219G are acceptable for fuel lines.

E15 Fuels

·       15% ethanol level is more chemically aggressive, with respect to rubber materials, than 85% ethanol.

·       Very good grades of nitrile compounds – use Longhorn AF  for Petroleum Transfer

·        C5M, 4219BG and 4219D (FKM) are recommended Fuel lines.

100% Ethanol

·       Used to make E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) and E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) grades

·       Can be treated as a chemical additive and transferred with chemical hoses such as Colt (EPDM), Mustang (Gatron) or Renegade (UHMWPE) and standard grade nitrile hoses.